This invention relates to a fluid bearing supporting system for rotary drums and the like.
It has been known to support generally horizontally disposed rotary drums by means of saddle-like liquid bearing shoes engaging end trunnions or circumferential riding rings.
In such instances the trunnions or riding rings have to be machined very accurately to a true cylindrical support surface which is very costly for large diameter drums of the order of ten to twenty feet in diameter.
Attempts have been made to float the shoes hydraulically to accomodate out of roundness of the trunnion or riding ring and avoid undue wear upon the shoes.
In all instances, however, the bearing areas have been small, generally employing the liquid bearing shoes as a substitute for roller contact supports, and which required a very substantial pressure for the liquid employed in the bearing support.
Furthermore, both the trunnions and the riding rings generally had to be made by forging and were extremely expensive for the larger diameters.